If you think you can, or if you think you can't, either way, you're right

In these days, when election of Barack Obama for the next president of the USA is the hottest topic in the media around the world, I would like to draw attention to one of his famous speeches, delivered at the beginning of this year when he was still rather unknown outside of the USA. This is not political blog, so I'm not going to analyze his political views or his vision of America, but rather to talk about the way he delivered his speech. Standing in front of large group of people and delivering the speech is so daunting task that very few speakers can do this effectively and leave a strong impression on their audience. Mr. Obama is obviously such a speaker; he uses vivid language, excellent rhetoric and impressive diction. But, above all, what makes his appearance really outstanding, is the passion, devotion and sincerity you can feel while he is conveying his main message: that hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it and to work for it and to fight for it.

So, next time when you are going to settle for just another compromise and to justify to yourself whatever mediocre choice you are going to make, forgetting the dreams you once had, listen to this speech and remember the quote from Henry Ford: "If you think you can, or if you think you can't, either way, you're right"